Barry University School of Law offered Thursday to let 111 early graduates take
some of their courses a second time, tuition-free, so they can salvage their
legal educations.
Barry's plan offers new hope for the first graduates of the Orlando school, who
learned last week that their law degrees are not any good in Florida.
The state Supreme Court ruled that it would not recognize any degree granted
before February 2001 -- a year before the school received provisional
accreditation from the American Bar Association.
Law Dean Stanley Talcott said Barry could re-enroll the early graduates,
treating them as though they had transferred from another school.
ABA rules allow Barry to recognize some classes that the students took, even
though the school was unaccredited when the students took them. The students
could then retake the rest of the law-school curriculum at no charge.
Students could attend either part or full time, day or night. The first of them
could re-graduate as early as summer 2004.
"As soon as we get the details worked out and decide a date for
registration, we'll start sending out the forms and so forth," Talcott
said.
On Thursday, there was no way of telling how many graduates might take the deal.
Many have moved from Orlando. But several said they were excited, even if it
means they'll have to suffer through two more years of law school.
"I want to be an attorney worse than I don't want to go to law
school," said Cesary Bullard, 33, an Orlando resident who graduated in
2000. "I'm thankful that the school has agreed to let us do this. But of
course I'm frustrated that it has had to come down to this."
Other graduates, though, may pass on the deal after years of disruption and
disappointments. Some are resting their hopes on other strategies, such as
moving to another state that might accept their law degrees.
A final chance still rests with the Florida Supreme Court. Barry will ask for a
rehearing. Many graduates consider that a long shot, but one that could end
their frustration much sooner.
The law school opened in 1995 as an independent school at 6441 E. Colonial
Drive. It struggled. Barry University, a Miami-based Roman Catholic school,
bought it in 1999. The school already had been rejected once by the ABA, but
Barry was certain it could turn the school around quickly.
It took three more years, during which Barry's up-and-down struggle with the ABA
drew national attention. The school finally won provisional accreditation in
February.
By then, nearly 140 students had graduated. Those who received degrees before
February 2001 -- more than one year before the accreditation -- have been barred
from taking The Florida Bar Examination, the gateway test to the legal
profession.
Barry's more recent graduates and its future classes can take the Bar exam.
Twenty-six graduates have done so. Nine have passed.
Virtually all of the affected graduates enrolled before Barry bought the school.
But Barry's president, Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin, said it made little difference.
"I feel we have a moral responsibility, and we want to do everything we can
to help," she said. "The students I have met, these are beautiful
people. These are committed, caring people. They will bring to the community
lawyers who are compassionate. These people suffered so much. They will bring so
much to the legal community."
Although the school would be missing out on tuition, the move would have some
beneficial effects, Talcott said. Barry's enrollment plummeted the past two
years as it struggled for accreditation, so its upper-level classes are sparsely
enrolled. A few extra students -- especially veterans -- would improve the class
dynamics, he said.
Under the proposal, Barry would accept 29 credit hours of classes outside of the
law school's core curriculum. Students then could retake the other 61 credit
hours of core classes.
"I have to do it. I can't imagine getting this far and not getting to the
end," said Robin Drage, 44, of Orlando, a January 2001 graduate. "My
goal was not finishing law school but being admitted to the Bar."
